Frequent Causes of Mold Growth
Basement flooding and water intrusion
Closeness to lake, river, or ocean
Clothes dryer exhausting into walls or attic
Construction defects + poor workmanship
Crawl space humidity or standing water
Exhaust fans venting into walls or attic
Firewood storage indoors
Flooding
Lot grading downward to home
High indoor humidity [60%+]
Humidifiers & vaporizers
Inadequate ventilation
Indoor plants
Overflow from tubs, showers, sinks, & toilets
Landscaping mistakes like mulch & plant glut
Leaky roof
Venting inadequacies in kitchen & bathrooms
Sewage pipe leaks
Siding water leaks
Water supply pipe leaks
Wooded setting keeps out sun
Wet clothes drying indoors

Do-It-Best-Yourself Mold Solutions

Phil can help you fix your own property’s mold problems at low-cost, more safely, and better-in- results than what is done by many mold inspectors and mold contractors. How can Phil help you?

     1. Read Phil’s five plain-English, mold advice books to master mold inspection, testing, removal, remediation, and prevention for your house, condo, apartment, office, or workplace.

     2. Buy do-it-yourself, affordable mold test kits, mold lab analysis, video inspection scope, mold cleaner, mold killer, and a mold-killing ozone generator for the successful toxic and household mold inspection, mold testing, mold species identification and quantification, mold cleaning, mold removal, and mold remediation to find mold, kill mold, clean mold, and remove mold from your residence or commercial building.

     3. Get FREE mold advice, mold help, and/or answers to your mold questions, by emailing mold expert Phillip Fry at envirodangers@yahoo.com. You can also email pictures of your mold problems in jpeg file format as email attachments.

Also please read: [Wood Rot] [Stachy-Picture] [Top-10-Mold-Mistakes] [Mold Health Problem, Seasonal Allergy, and Mold Health Effects] [Mold/Fungi] [New House Mold] [Black-Toxic-Mold-Stachybotrys-Stachybotris] [Mold Problem] [Legal Liability] [Mold in Bible] [Mold-Scam] [Mold-Specialist] [Toxic Mold] [Toxic Mold Hotline]
Mold Pollution
       The top mold health symptoms are the following, in alphabetical order. A mold victim may experience one or more symptoms, separately or simultaneously---

a allergies
a asthma
a bleeding lungs
a breathing difficulties
a cancer
a central nervous system effects
a colds, recurring and with decreased resistance to infection
a coughing and resulting sore lungs/chest from excessive coughing
a coughing up blood
a dandruff problems [chronic] that don't go away despite use of anti-dandruff shampoos
a dermatitis and skin rashes
a diarrhea
a eye and vision problems
a  fatigue [chronic, excessive, or continued] and/or general malaise
a feeling lost or "disconnected" from what's happening around you
a flu symptoms
a hair loss
a headaches
a hemorrhagic pneumonitis
a hives
a hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis, farmers lung disease)
a irritability
a itching of the nose, mouth, eyes, throat, skin, or any area
a kidney failure
a learning difficulties or mental functioning problems or personality changes
a memory loss or memory difficulties/Alzheimers-like symptoms
a open skin sores and lacerations
a organic dust toxic syndrome
a peripheral nervous system effects
a redness of the sclera (white of your eyes)
a runny nose (rhinitis), clear, thin, watery mucus from your nose may appear suddenly,
      or thick, green slime coming out of nose (from sinus cavities)
a seizures
a sinus congestion, sinus problems, and chronic sinusitis
a skin redness
a sleep disorders
a sneezing
a sneezing fits (more than three sneezes in a row, happening often)
a sore throat
a tremors [shaking]
a verbal dysfunction [trouble in speaking]
a vertigo
a vomiting

MOLD PROBLEM OVERVIEW: "Molds are microscopic fungi that comprise 25% of the earth's biomass. They can be found almost anywhere and can grow on virtually any organic substance as long as moisture and oxygen are present. Molds can grow on wood, paper, carpet, foods, and insulation. Moisture encourages mold growth. People who are allergic to mold or whose asthma is triggered by mold usually react to the spores, the reproductive bodies for molds. The process by which these spores are released into the air becomes intensified when moldy material is damaged or disturbed. Sometimes mold can produce a toxic substance called mycotoxins, which also can cause illness in sensitive populations, especially those with substantial exposures, such as agricultural workers. It is impossible to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment. However, mold growth can be controlled indoors by controlling moisture. Many types of molds exist and they all have the potential to cause health effects. Molds produce allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or asthma attacks. Health concerns are an important reason to prevent mold growth and to remedy/clean up any existing indoor mold growth. The range of symptoms of overexposure to mold include cough, congestion, runny nose, eye irritation, and asthma symptoms. As is true of all environmentally-related illnesses, the sensitivity and vulnerability of the person will dictate the level of response to any given exposure."--American Nursing Association. Airborne mold spores spread mold-based infectious mold-related diseases like asthma, chronic sinusitis, & aspergilliosis. Stachybotrys atra mold can cause nervous system symptoms, such as personality changes, sleep disorders and memory loss. Mold term definitions.

Bleach does NOT kill mold on porous surfaces such as wood and other building materials. "While bleach is often recommended for remediation of surface mold on wood, our [university research study] results illustrate that the treatment does not eliminate the surface microflora," is the conclusion of the Oregon State University study of the effects of chlorine bleach on mold growth on Douglas fir wood [an important timber crop in the state of Oregon]. The research study was conducted by Professor Jeffrey Morrell, Dept. of Wood Science, Oregon State University, as assisted by Adam Taylor [graduate research assistant] and Camille Freitag [Senior Research Associate], Forest Products Journal, 54:4, 2004. Read the Bleach-Mold-Myth. Mold Home Remedy Recipes. "We were able to find sufficient evidence that certain respiratory problems, including symptoms in asthmatics who are sensitive to mold, are associated with exposure to mold and damp conditions. Excessive dampness influences whether mold, as well as bacteria, dust mites and other such agents, are present and thrive indoors, the committee noted. In addition, the wetness may cause chemicals and particles to be released from building materials. A rare ailment known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis also was associated with indoor mold exposure in susceptible people," as reported in the almost 300 page report by the Institute of Medicine [division of U.S. Government's National Academy of Sciences], Tuesday, May 25, 2004. The study was financed by the U.S. Government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just a few hours of unprotected exposure to elevated levels of airborne mold spores can start mold growing inside one's body, and then possibly require medical intervention to cleanse the body of internal mold growth. Learn the various unhealthy Mold Species. Sample indoor mold spores with our mold test kits or a Certified Mold Inspector. Read about Selling or Buying a Moldy Home.

Mold fungus spores are very small in size and can easily enter the human body by breathing [nose and mouth], eating mold spores [often contained IN food and from landing ON food], drinking mold infested water, entry through one's eyes, entry through open skin cuts and sores, and sometimes skin absorption through skin pores. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA], "Most moldy foods should be thrown out. But you might be able to save molding hard cheeses, salami, and firm fruits and vegetables if you cut out not only the mold but a large area around it. Cutting the larger area around the mold is important because much of the mold growth is below the surface of the food."
Visit Mold Remediation

Where mold grows easily

Attics with roof leaks or inadequate ventilation
Basements with dirt floors or water problems
Behind and under showers, tubs, toilets, & bathroom walls
Books, magazines, newspapers
Carpeting and padding
Ceilings [from roof leaks]
Ceiling tiles
Clothing
Crawl spaces
Drapes
Drywall in ceilings and walls
Garbage disposal
Heating/cooling equipment & ducts
Humidifiers & vaporizers [inside]
Leather items
Paint
Paper, cardboard & other paper products
Plants [house plants]
Rags
Upholstered furniture
Walls [from siding, roof, & plumbing leaks]
Wallpaper & behind wallpaper
Wood products